When you want a bit more than three chords and the truth

Thursday

Jun 14, 2012 at 6:00 AMJun 15, 2012 at 2:00 PM

By Victor D. Infante TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

Sometimes, it's easy to think that all you can see in Worcester is rock bands or solo acoustic musicians, and nothing could be further from the truth. There are a number of progressive-minded artists both in the city and visiting it regularly who bring something new and different to the table, whether it be hip-hop, electronic, or something more experimental. And while there's still nothing wrong with putting a vocalist, guitarist, bassist and drummer up on stage and letting them loose on three chords and the truth, it's always good for that sound to get challenged a little bit.

•“The Kid is in Love,” by Gamble & Burke: It's a remarkably straightforward little song, but local favorites Gamble & Burke deliver a scintillating R&B groove, complete with electronic dance beats and an understated rap break. It's a good summer cruise song, and more than a little addictive.

•“How Does It Feel To Be In Love” by the Bynars: This Boston synth-pop band — who will perform at Ralph's Chadwick Square Diner at 9 p.m. June 15 — has a knack for making music that's both offbeat and catchy. There's something terribly fun about this song, an upbeat verve that seems to belay the sinister tinge of lyrics such as “get confused, get abused/ and repeat, it's all right/ How does it feel to be in love now?”

How Does It Feel to Be in Love? by The Bynars

•“Typical Generic Poser Rock Anthem,” by the East Coast Runaways: This Worcester band, which will also be performing at Ralph's on June 15, isn't afraid to take a bit out of rock 'n' roll: “lights out/ we need another anthem/ rock's dead/ we're better off anyway.” This spirited, bass-driven critique of pompous rock has a gravity to it, a sense of weight that captures a lot of what's still good in rock, and indeed, what probably always will be.

•“Forever and Ever,” by the Wandas: These Worcester-rooted musicians just make flat-out beautiful music, much of it marked by gorgeous vocals and delicate instrumentation. This one, recorded live at the South X Southwest festival in Texas, manages to convey sentiment without being treacly. It's fragile, beautiful music with a great spirit.

•“Big Brother,” by HUMANWINE: Hmmm. We haven't seen this New Hampshire-based band with Worcester ties in a while, but listening to this song again makes us remember why we love them so much. HUMANWINE can create a sense of paranoid friction, or induce a sort of hypnotic trance, or both at once. Always a favorite.